There’s something palpable about Tennessee’s southern hospitality that is truly unique. It comes as no surprise, then, that the very name Tennessee is derived from the old Yuchi word “Tana-see,” meaning “the meeting place.”

Tennesseans know that the best things happen when we come together — whether in a literal or figurative meeting place. As the president of the Tennessee Congress of Parents and Teachers (Tennessee PTA) and the senior director of education policy and programs at Conexión Américas, we’ve seen firsthand the magic that can happen when we come together for Tennessee’s students. We’ve also seen the lost potential when parents, teachers, and communities don’t communicate effectively in support of our children.

Parents want their children to be happy and healthy. They want to ensure that their children learn everything they need to be successful and that they’re on track to succeed in the future. In fact, a recent poll, Parents 2017: Unleashing Their Power & Potential, by our partners at Learning Heroes found that more than seven in 10 parents expect their children will someday get a college degree.

It’s also well-researched and documented that involved parents can make a significant difference in their children’s success in school. Before a parent can be expected to truly support their children’s learning, they need an accurate picture of where their children are excelling and where they may need more support.

Nearly half of parents say they could use more information to support their child’s learning. Heartbreakingly, more than half of parents who think their child has struggled in school don’t feel very confident they can support their child’s learning.

In their recent poll, Learning Heroes reveals that many parents rely on report cards and parent-teacher conferences for information on their child’s academic progress. But while grades and teacher comments are valuable sources of information, they don’t always give parents the whole picture of whether their children are performing at the level they need to be to reach their full potential and fulfill their dreams.

For example, a child may receive an “A” grade on a book report, but may not be able to read on grade level based on end-of-year state tests. Parents should use both sources of information together to hold informed conversations with their child’s teacher on how teachers can tailor instruction and how parents can support their child’s learning at home.

Mississippi's governor, Phil Bryant, had been expected to decide Oct. 24, 2017, whether the Mississippi Department of Education would take over Jackson Public Schools. The cartoonist's homepage, clarionledger.com/opinion
Marshall Ramsey, The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger

During any other administration, an emergency news conference during which the secretary of State denies he's resigning and tepidly avoids confirming whether he called the president a moron, might be a step toward rock bottom. For the Trump administration, it's just another day, usat.ly/2yLEg0I
USA TODAY

As the nation mourns the death of 59 people after a mass shooting during a concert in Las Vegas, late-night comics take a moment to question the country's values and, more than that, members of Congress, usat.ly/2khQ7kJ
USA TODAY

It’s no wonder, then, that nine in 10 parents believe their children are performing at or above grade level, when national data tells us that, in reality, only about a third of students achieve at this level.

That’s why we are conducting conversations in Tennessee about the importance of providing all parents with an accurate picture of their child’s academic success. We have a unique opportunity with our new state plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act, called ESSA, along with higher standards and aligned TN Ready assessments. As Tennesseans, we must now come together to align parents’ high expectations with accessible and transparent information on student and school progress, and ensure that we are doing our part to prepare academically and emotionally successful children.

We also encourage parents to check out Learning Heroes’ Super 5 Back-to-School Power Moves, which provide some easy steps in English and in Spanish that parents can take to begin having these important conversations with their child’s teacher. For example, parents can bring their child’s state test results to their first meeting with their child’s teacher and ask what they mean for the year ahead. Parents also can use the Readiness Roadmap to understand what their child is expected to learn this year and how they partner with teachers to support their child.

Coming together is in our DNA as Tennesseans. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, policymaker or community member, we all have a stake in ensuring that our students are prepared for the future.

Gini Pupo-Walker is senior director at Conexión Américas. Cheryl Floyd is president of Tennessee Congress of Parents and Teachers.